Israel Hamas Negotiations in Egypt Could End Years of War

In a dramatic turn amid the protracted Israel-Hamas conflict, delegations from both sides are converging on Egypt for high-stakes indirect negotiations, fueled by optimism for a ceasefire that could release all remaining Israeli hostages and pave the way for lasting peace in Gaza. President Donald Trump's aggressive push for his comprehensive 20-point peace plan has injected fresh momentum, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaling that a deal could materialize within days, potentially ending nearly two years of devastating warfare that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

The talks, hosted by Egypt's foreign ministry, mark a critical juncture following Hamas's conditional acceptance of key elements of Trump's framework earlier this week. The militant group, after days of internal deliberations split between its political leadership in Qatar and military commanders in Gaza, announced its readiness to release all Israeli hostages—alive or deceased—provided "field conditions" are met, including an immediate halt to Israeli military operations. This breakthrough, welcomed by mediators Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, opens the door to phased implementation: an initial hostage-prisoner exchange, followed by Israel's withdrawal to pre-August 2024 positions along the so-called "yellow line," and the establishment of a transitional Palestinian technocratic authority to govern Gaza.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, appearing on ABC's "This Week," described the moment as "the closest we've come to getting all of the hostages released," underscoring the plan's two-phase structure. Phase one would see hostages freed in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention, alongside a surge in humanitarian aid to alleviate Gaza's dire famine conditions. Rubio emphasized that decisions on Gaza's future governance—potentially involving the return of the Palestinian Authority and unification with the West Bank—could proceed concurrently, ensuring "permanency to the end of the conflict." Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, joined by former Middle East peace envoy Jared Kushner, is en route to Cairo to iron out technical details, with Netanyahu dispatching a delegation to expedite the process.

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International backing has surged, with foreign ministers from eight Muslim-majority nations— including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Indonesia—issuing a joint statement Sunday applauding Hamas's flexibility on handing over Gaza's administration to a consensus-based committee. The ministers urged an "immediate launch of negotiations" for implementation mechanisms, while reiterating demands for a full Israeli withdrawal, security guarantees, and the end of the blockade that has strangled Gaza's economy for nearly two decades. UN Secretary-General António Guterres echoed this call, urging all parties to "seize the opportunity to bring the tragic conflict to an end," as per a statement from his spokesperson.

Yet, the path remains fraught with peril. Even as Trump demanded Israel cease bombing Gaza to facilitate safe hostage extractions, weekend strikes persisted, killing at least 12 Palestinians and drawing sharp rebukes. Gaza's Shifa Hospital reported eight deaths Sunday from multiple airstrikes in Gaza City, including a devastating hit on a civilian gathering. In Rafah, four more perished in a shooting near an aid distribution point, which the Israeli military disavowed involvement in, attributing it to local chaos amid aid shortages. "We're on the brink, and we don't know whether one will die of a strike or starvation," lamented Mahmoud Hashem, a father of five sheltering in a tent in central Gaza City, voicing the desperation of over 1.9 million displaced residents.

Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry, whose casualty figures are deemed reliable by the UN and independent experts, tallied 67,139 Palestinian deaths by Sunday—nearly half women and children—with 170,000 injured since the war erupted on October 7, 2023. The Israeli military, meanwhile, reported 1,139 killed in Hamas's initial assault and ongoing efforts to dismantle the group's infrastructure, warning northern Gaza residents against returns due to persistent threats. Israeli spokesperson Shosh Badrosian clarified that while some bombings have paused, "there's no ceasefire in place at this point," noting Netanyahu's direct communications with Trump to cap talks at "a few days maximum" without delays.

Rubio announced the US would probe Israel's recent operations, insisting active combat undermines deal progress. "The Israelis have said they would only deal with imminent threats, so we'll look into any of that," he said, while cautioning against sabotage attempts. Analysts point to historical precedents—like stalled 2024 talks during Ramadan and a brief January 2025 truce that faltered over phase two—as reminders of fragility. Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty warned of escalation risks if Hamas rejects the plan outright, but praised the "positive development" of its response, coordinating with allies to secure a deal that averts forced Palestinian displacement—a non-negotiable red line for Cairo.

Trump, in a flurry of Truth Social posts, hailed Hamas's nod as a "big day," crediting Arab mediators and vowing consequences for foot-dragging: "Hamas must move quickly, or all bets are off." His administration's pivot—abstaining from a UN ceasefire resolution earlier this year to pressure parties—has reshaped dynamics, though critics accuse the US of favoring Israeli interests. Netanyahu, balancing domestic hardliners, expressed hope for announcing full hostage releases "in the coming days," framing the Egypt summit as a "technical finalization" rather than open-ended haggling.

As negotiators land in Cairo under tight security, the world watches a potential inflection point. A successful deal could not only repatriate hostages but also unlock reconstruction funds, with Qatar pledging billions for Gaza's revival. Yet, with 70% of Gaza's buildings in ruins and famine gripping the north, the stakes transcend borders. For families like Hashem's, divided by checkpoints and grief, the talks represent a sliver of hope amid the rubble—a chance to rebuild, not just cease fire. Whether Trump's bold gambit delivers enduring peace or crumbles under old animosities remains the question hanging over the Nile.

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